IMPROVING ENGLISH ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF PAKISTANI PUBLIC SCHOOL’S STUDENTS

Article Author:Qutbi Alam and Dr. Ayesha Bashir Uddin

Abstract

This paper focuses on the improvement of Oral Communication Skills (OCSs) of Pakistan’s Public school’s Grade-6 students who have a lack of opportunities and are seldom exposed to the English language generally and OCSs particularly. Since more importance is given to reading and writing skills of English in which results overlook the importance of OCSs and due to which students are found to be silent, shy or have a profound fear of being wrong. It further highlights self developed strategies of students in improving accuracy and fluency in which the National Curriculum for English Language (NCEL) was taken as a guiding tool and action planner through which systematic lessons were delivered in classrooms. Findings of Pre and post intervention phases of four participants revealed that children’s OCSs had shown a marked improvement by giving opportunities to practice oral languages, providing conducive learning environment and using new teaching strategies. This study also claims that code switching, Peer and self error correction, short pauses and speech fillers are inevitable to improve speaking skills in the process of second language learning. It shows new ways in order to improve students’ speaking skills and has implications for second language learners and teachers.